U.S. patent application number 11/432586 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-16 for textile comprising a conductor line system and method for its production.
Invention is credited to Ivo Locher, Gerhard Troester.
Application Number | 20060258205 11/432586 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34936499 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060258205 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Locher; Ivo ; et
al. |
November 16, 2006 |
Textile comprising a conductor line system and method for its
production
Abstract
The invention relates to a textile comprising a conductor line
system and a method for its production. The conductor line system
has an arrangement of a plurality of electric conductor lines. At
least one electric component is connected to specific electric
conductor lines. In accordance with the invention an adapter
element is arranged between the electric component and the
conductor line system. On one side the adapter element has at least
one connecting portion that is adapted to the arrangement of the
electric conductor lines. On the other side the adapter element has
at least one connecting portion that is adapted to a connecting
arrangement of the electric component.
Inventors: |
Locher; Ivo; (Zug, CH)
; Troester; Gerhard; (Dubendorf, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOFFMAN WARNICK & D'ALESSANDRO, LLC
75 STATE STREET
14TH FLOOR
ALBANY
NY
12207
US
|
Family ID: |
34936499 |
Appl. No.: |
11/432586 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/517 ;
257/E23.077 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 2201/049 20130101;
D10B 2401/18 20130101; H01L 23/49894 20130101; H05K 1/141 20130101;
H05K 1/038 20130101; A41D 1/005 20130101; D03D 1/0088 20130101;
D10B 2401/16 20130101; H05K 2201/029 20130101; H01L 24/18 20130101;
H05K 2201/0281 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/517 |
International
Class: |
H01R 33/945 20060101
H01R033/945 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 13, 2005 |
EP |
05010476.9 |
Claims
1. Textile comprising a conductor line system, which includes an
arrangement of a plurality of electric conductor lines, and at
least one electric component which is connected to specific
electric conductor lines, wherein: an adapter element is arranged
between the electric component and the conductor line system; the
adapter element has on one side at least one connecting portion
that is adapted to the arrangement of the electric conductor lines;
and the adapter element has on the other side at least one
connecting portion that is adapted to a connecting arrangement of
the electric component.
2. Textile according to claim 1, wherein the adapter element
comprises a thin flexible board.
3. Textile according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a
flexibility and elastisity of the adapter element is smaller than
that of the textile but greater than that of the electric
component.
4. Textile according to claim 1, wherein the adapter element is
larger in its surface area than a surface area of the electric
component.
5. Textile according to claim 1, wherein the conductor line system
has a mesh-shaped or net-like arrangement of conductor lines that
are woven into the textile.
6. Textile according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of
the adapter element located on the side facing towards the
conductor line system is designed for an arrangement extending at
an angle to the conductor lines.
7. Textile according to claim 1, wherein at least on one side the
adapter element is provided with an adhesive.
8. Textile according to claim 1, wherein the adapter element has on
one side at least one connecting portion with at least two
connecting points which are adapted to a mesh-shaped arrangement of
the electric conductor lines, and the connecting points are
arranged in an offset manner with respect to the mesh-shaped
arrangement of the conductor line system such that the connecting
points do not lie on the same conductor lines.
9. Adapter element for a textile according to claim 1, wherein at
least one connecting portion is provided on one side of the adapter
element that is adapted to an arrangement of electric conductor
lines of a conductor line system of the textile, and at least one
connecting portion is provided on the other side of the adapter
element that is adapted to a connecting arrangement of an electric
component to be fixed.
10. Method for producing a textile, which includes a conductor line
system having an arrangement of a plurality electric conductor
lines, with at least one electric component being connected to
specific electric conductor lines, wherein: an adapter element is
provided between the electric component and the conductor line
system, the adapter element has on one side at least one connecting
portion that is adapted to the arrangement of the electric
conductor lines and connected to the specific electric conductor
lines, and the adapter element has on the other side at least one
connecting portion that is adapted to a connecting arrangement of
the electric component and connected thereto.
11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the conductor lines are
woven into the textile as electrically conductive threads having an
external insulation and a desired line structure is formed by at
least one of electrically connecting and disconnecting specific
conductive threads.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a textile comprising a conductor
line system which includes an arrangement of a plurality of
electric conductor lines, and at least one electric component which
is connected to specific electric conductor lines. The invention
further relates to a method for producing a textile which is
designed with a conductor line system having an arrangement of a
plurality of electric conductor lines, with at least one electric
component being connected to specific electric conductor lines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There is a rapidly increasing demand for textiles that
include a conductor line system. Today a large part of the
population carries electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDA's
or MP3-players etc. with them on a regular basis. Therefore efforts
are made to an increasing extent to integrate such electric devices
in textiles or to provide textiles with electric and electronic
functions.
[0003] From DE-A-103 07 507 and US-A-2004/0259391 textiles are
known for example in which single electric conductor lines are
arranged. These electric conductor lines are connected to specific
electric components that are fixed to the textile.
[0004] To this end the electric components have a connecting
arrangement that is adapted to the arrangement of the conductor
lines in the textile. However, the connection of the electric
components can raise problems, especially if a connection has to be
fixed to a conductor line system with a small mesh spacing and if
electric components have to be fixed with a plurality of different
connections. Moreover, apart from its electrical connection the
electric component has to be fixed in a mechanically reliable
manner to the textile. In doing so defects in the electric and/or
mechanic connection of the electric component with the textile may
occur repeatedly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention provides a textile and a method for its
production by means of which electric components can be connected
easily and at the same time reliably with the textile.
[0006] A first aspect of the invention provides a textile
comprising a conductor line system, which includes an arrangement
of a plurality of electric conductor lines, and at least one
electric component which is connected to specific electric
conductor lines, wherein: an adapter element is arranged between
the electric component and the conductor line system; the adapter
element has on one side at least one connecting portion that is
adapted to the arrangement of the electric conductor lines; and the
adapter element has on the other side at least one connecting
portion that is adapted to a connecting arrangement of the electric
component.
[0007] A second aspect of the invention provides a method for
producing a textile, which includes a conductor line system having
an arrangement of a plurality electric conductor lines, with at
least one electric component being connected to specific electric
conductor lines, wherein: an adapter element is provided between
the electric component and the conductor line system, the adapter
element has on one side at least one connecting portion that is
adapted to the arrangement of the electric conductor lines and
connected to the specific electric conductor lines, and the adapter
element has on the other side at least one connecting portion that
is adapted to a connecting arrangement of the electric component
and connected thereto.
[0008] The textile according to the invention is characterized in
that an adapter element is arranged between the electric component
and the conductor line system, in that the adapter element has on
one side at least one connecting portion that is adapted to the
arrangement of the electric conductor lines and in that the adapter
element has on the other side at least one connecting portion that
is adapted to a connecting arrangement of the electric
component.
[0009] A fundamental idea of the invention may be seen in the fact
that the electric component is no longer fixed directly onto the
textile. For the connection use is made of an interposed adapter
element which is specifically adapted to the structure of the
conductor line system of the textile on the one hand and to the
connecting arrangement of the electric component on the other hand.
As a result, it is no longer necessary to specifically adapt either
the conductor line structure of the textile to the electric
component that is to be fixed or to adapt the connecting
arrangement of the electric component to the conductor line system.
This permits a greater degree of freedom in the choice and design
of the conductor line system in the textile and in the choice of
the electric components. According to the invention it is therefore
possible that different electric components, such as electronic
parts, sensors, actuators, energy sources, switches etc. that have
various kinds of connecting arrangements can be fixed without
problem to a textile having a uniform conductor line structure.
[0010] Another advantage of the invention resides in the fact that
the adapter element can be connected with a high solidity both with
the textile and the electric component. In this way a secure and at
the same time reliable electric and mechanical connection is
achieved between the textile and the electric component.
[0011] In principle, the adapter element can be designed in an
inflexible manner having any chosen thickness.
[0012] A preferred embodiment of the invention resides in the fact
that the adapter element is designed as a thin, in particular as a
flexible board. By preference, the board has a thickness ranging
between 0.1 mm and 3 mm, with the connecting portions being
electrically connected with each other on both sides of the
board.
[0013] In accordance with the invention it is particularly
preferred that the adapter element has a flexibility and/or
elasticity that is smaller than that of the textile but greater
than that of the electric component. Hence, the adapter element
also serves to bring the greatly differing mechanical properties of
the highly flexible textile into line with the usually inflexible
electric component. Thus, during the use of the textile an
undesired detachment of the inflexible electric component from the
soft, deformable textile is prevented. The adapter element is
preferably designed as a layer or a film of a suitable plastic,
such as PE, PA, PU, PVC, FR-3, FR-4 etc.
[0014] For a particularly good connection provision is made such
according to the invention that the adapter element is larger in
its surface than a surface area of the electric component. This
allows for a particularly good mechanical fixing of the adapter
element on the textile. In addition, even in the case of an
extremely narrow conductor line system having a spacing of
conductor lines of less than 1 mm a reliable electric connection
can be established through connecting portions which are spaced
well apart from one another. This risk of an unintended electrical
short circuit is practically avoided thereby.
[0015] Furthermore, the adapter element can be used to accommodate
several electric components.
[0016] Basically, the electric conductor line system can be
arranged in various ways on or in the textile. For instance the
conductor line system can be imprinted or it can be produced
through electrochemical treatment of the textile. The conductor
line system can have any chosen arrangement, e.g. it can have
parallel conductor lines only. However, according to the invention
it is especially preferred that the conductor line system has a
mesh-shaped or net-like arrangement of conductor lines that are
woven into the textile. Such an arrangement interferes to a minimum
degree with the normal use of the textile for example as a garment.
In addition, by electrically connecting single intersecting
conductor lines or by appropriately disconnecting single lines
highly complex conductor line structures can be designed in the
textile in a relatively simple manner. Preferably, the mesh or net
spacing of the conductor lines that intersect in a substantially
perpendicular fashion ranges between 0.2 mm and 20 mm.
[0017] Especially in the case of very tightly meshed conductor line
arrangements provision is made according to the invention so that
the connecting portion of the adapter element located on the side
facing towards the conductor line system is designed for an
arrangement extending at an angle to the conductor lines. For
instance in the case of a square mesh structure having a mesh
spacing D and an arrangement of the adapter element that is
inclined by 45.degree. to the conductor lines and has linearly
arranged connecting portions a spacing can be attained between the
individual connecting points that is increased approximately by the
factor 1.4. Particularly in the case of very small electronic
components and an extremely fine mesh structure this proves to be
of advantage for a reliable electric connection free of short
circuits. Moreover, by such an arrangement cuts in the textile for
line disconnection can be avoided. As a result, the strength and
stability of the textile is increased.
[0018] In accordance with the invention a facilitated production
results from the fact that at least on one side the adapter element
is provided with an adhesive. The adhesive can be a glue or a
plastic layer which, by being subjected to the appropriate thermal,
chemical or mechanical treatment, makes a solid, stable connection
with the basic fabric of the textile or the electric component. If
an adhesive is used on both sides of the adapter element, the
adhesives concerned can be different electrically insulating means
corresponding to the textile or the electric component. On the
connecting portions an electrically conductive adhesive can be
applied accordingly.
[0019] Furthermore, according to the invention an adapter element
is provided which is characterized in that at least one connecting
portion is provided on one side which is adapted to an arrangement
of electric conductor lines of a conductor line system of a textile
and in that at least one connecting portion is provided on the
other side which is adapted to a connecting arrangement of an
electric component. As a thin layer of film that is easy to produce
this adapter element can be produced in a cost-effective manner in
a great variety. In this manner electric components with greatly
differing connecting arrangements can be fixed to a textile with a
uniform conductor line system. The adaptation of the first
connecting portions is effected such that they lie on prepared
points of intersection of the conductor line system.
[0020] The method according to the invention for producing a
textile is characterized in that an adapter element is provided
between the electric component and the conductor line system, in
that the adapter element has on one side at least two connecting
portions that are adapted to the arrangement of the electric
conductor lines and connected to the specific electric conductor
lines, and in that the adapter element has on the other side at
least one connecting portion that is adapted to a connecting
arrangement of the electric component and connected thereto.
[0021] By this method the above-described textile can be provided
in a simple, reliable and at the same time particularly variable
manner with a plurality of different electric components having
various connecting arrangements.
[0022] By preference, the conductor lines are woven into the
textile as electrically conductive threads having an external
insulation and a desired line structure is formed by electrically
connecting and/or disconnecting specific conductive threads. As a
result, the conductor line system can be produced in a reliable
manner as early as during the weaving of the textile. The
electrical connection of the externally insulated conductive
threads is carried out by removing the external insulation, for
example by means of a laser or through etching and a subsequent
application of an electric connecting means, such as an
electrically conductive adhesive. The defined disconnection of
electrically conductive threads in order to prevent an undesired
short circuit can equally be carried out by means of a laser,
through etching or a mechanical cutting process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] In the following the invention will be described further by
way of embodiments that are schematically illustrated in the
drawings, wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows the fixing of an electric component to a
textile.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a connecting arrangement of two electric
components located on a conductor line system.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows various connecting arrangements on a conductor
line system in order to illustrate connecting problems.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows the application of an electric component
according to the invention.
[0028] FIG. 5 shows a schematic connecting arrangement of an
adapter element according to the invention located on a
textile.
[0029] FIG. 6 shows a textile according to the invention with two
electric components fixed thereto.
[0030] FIG. 7 shows a connecting arrangement at an angle in
accordance with the invention.
[0031] FIG. 8 shows two examples of connecting arrangements located
on an adapter element according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] In FIG. 1 a starkly schematized textile 10 according to the
invention is shown to which an electric component 20 is applied.
The textile 10 consists of a basic textile made of non-conductive
thread materials, more particularly a non-conductive basic fabric
comprising monofilament and/or multifilament threads. Into this
basic fabric a conductor line system consisting of electrically
conductive threads is woven. The electric component can be
constituted by an electronic part, a sensor, an electric actuator,
but also e.g. a mechanical switching element such as a switch or a
key button.
[0033] In FIG. 2 the basic arrangement of two electrical components
20 on a conductor line system 12 is shown which is provided in a
mesh-shaped or net-like manner in the textile 10. The conductor
line system 12 consists of a plurality of evenly arranged
intersecting electric conductor lines 14. These are conductive
metal wires, more particularly copper and/or silver wires or
threads of electrically conductive plastic having an external
insulation. To produce a desired conductor line the external
insulation of intersecting conductor lines 14 is removed in an area
of narrow limits at defined connecting points 16 and an
electrically conductive connection is established by means of an
electric connecting means.
[0034] The single electric components 20 have a connecting
arrangement 22 comprising several points of contact that have to be
connected electrically to defined conductor lines 14. To this end
the external insulation of the specific electric conductor lines 14
is removed at certain points, preferably at the points of
intersection, as already set out above. By means of an electrically
conductive plastic or solder these points of contact are connected
in an electrically conductive manner with the connecting points of
the connecting arrangement 22.
[0035] When connecting the electric component 20 to the conductor
line system 12 various problems may arise which will be explained
in conjunction with FIG. 3. If the connecting arrangement 22 is not
adapted precisely to the arrangement of the conductor line system
12 or if the electric component 20 is not adjusted precisely this
may lead to a faulty contact, as illustrated in a). In this case
the establishment of an electrically conductive connection with a
desired conductor line 14 failed. Furthermore, the connecting
arrangement 22a can be applied onto the textile 10 in a displaced
manner such that it does not lie precisely on a point of
intersection desired but only on a weft conductor line, as in b),
or only on an warp conductor line, as in c). This may also lead to
faulty contacts.
[0036] If the single points of contact are larger than a grid
spacing of a mesh-shaped conductor line system 12, as shown in d),
several conductor lines may be connected in an undesired way.
Likewise, this may lead to faulty contacts and therefore
malfunctions of the electric component 20.
[0037] To avoid these problems an adapter element 30 is arranged
according to the invention between the textile 10 with the
conductor line system 12 and the electric component 20, as is
schematically shown in FIG. 4.
[0038] For this purpose the adapter element 30 according to the
invention has first connecting portions 32 on the side facing
towards the textile 10, which are arranged according to the grid of
the mesh-shaped conductor line system 12. Corresponding to the
first connecting portions 32 on the one side of the adapter element
30 connecting points 18 are prepared in the conductor line system
12 which have been produced in the manner described before by
removing the external insulation of the electric conductor lines
14. The fixing of the board-shaped or film-like adapter element 30
is carried out by means of an adhesive that makes a solid
mechanical connection with the basic fabric of the textile. In the
portions of the connecting points 18 an electrically conductive
adhesive is provided which allows for a selective electrical
connection between the connecting points 18 of the conductor line
system 12 with the first connecting portions 32 of the adapter
element 30.
[0039] In this way electric components 20 having the most varying
connecting arrangements 22 can be applied in a reliable manner to
textiles with any chosen conductor line system 12, as shown for
example in FIG. 6. The electric components 20 shown here include a
connecting arrangement 22 having four closely located connections
on each longitudinal side. These connections of the connecting
arrangement 22 of the electric component 20 correspond to second
connecting portions 34 arranged on the side of the adapter element
30 that faces away from the textile 10. From the individual second
connecting portions 34 lines 36 disposed on the upper side lead to
the desired end points on the adapter element 30. The end points of
the lines 36 correspond in their location to the first connecting
portions 32 on the underside of the adapter element 30. An
electrical connection is achieved through a conductor which runs
from the upper side through the thin wall thickness of the adapter
element 30 up to the respective connecting portion 32 located on
the underside of the adapter element 30. Alternatively, the
distributing lines can also be guided along the underside of the
adapter element 30.
[0040] As can be seen quite well in FIG. 6, a very closely disposed
connecting arrangement 22 of the electric component 20 can
therefore be straightened spatially and adapted to a given
conductor line system 12. With regard to its surface dimensions the
adapter element 30 can amount to several times that of the surface
area of the electric component 20, whereby a good mechanical fixing
of the electric component on the textile 10 is also achieved. In
addition, a surrounding edge portion of the adapter element 30
protects and insulates the electric connecting points disposed
inside.
[0041] According to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 7 the first
connecting portions 32 of the adapter element 30 can be arranged in
an offset manner to an orthogonal, mesh-shaped conductor line
system 12. Through this offset arrangement the achievement is made
in that the connecting points 18 do not lie on the same conductor
lines 14. As a result, a disconnecting of the conductor lines that
would otherwise be necessary can be avoided so that the risk of a
faulty contact and a short circuit is reduced further and the
stability is increased. The second connecting portions 34 located
on the upper side of the adapter element 30 are shown schematically
by a dotted line.
[0042] As a result of the invention a spatial straightening is
achieved between the first connecting portions 32, which serve for
the connection with the conductor line system 12, and the second
connecting portions 34, which are arranged on the upper side of the
adapter element 30 and serve for the electrical connection with a
connecting arrangement 22 of an electric component 20. Between the
individual square points of contact of the first connecting
portions 32 located on the underside of the adapter element 30 and
the second circular connecting portions 34 located on the upper
side of the adapter element 30 junction lines 36 are provided which
are illustrated by dotted lines 36.
[0043] Two examples of connecting arrangements located on an
adapter element according to the invention are illustrated in FIG.
8.
[0044] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of
this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many
modifications and variations are possible.
* * * * *